Christianity is not a sprint. It is not about burning all your energy out in the first few seconds, and then stopping to enjoy your success. No, if you’re going to liken Christianity to a track and field event, like Paul does here, then it is more like the longest cross country race in the world. And this is no ordinary cross country race either, there are many dangers along the way. But  the prize at the end is ordinary one either!

 

The Beatles sang this George Harrison penned song towards the end of their  time together as a band. It’s a song about somebody finding their way back to their old flames door, via a very long and convoluted way round. 

 

Maybe as a Christian you might feel you are on a very long and very winding road. Even if you are very young, look back over your life now, think about all the things that God has done in order to get you to where you are now. Maybe you’ve lost sight of the road a couple of times, and had to be brought back onto the path by a gracious God.    

 

The road that leads to God, can feel like a long one, but Paul talks about having endurance. It is no good to burn out quickly, like the seed that feel among rocks did, in the parable Jesus told. That seed had no real roots and could not stand up to the pressures of daily Christian living. In order to have the stamina for the journey you must first be deeply rooted in the things of Christ. Feed of Christ. An athlete has a very specific diet they must follow in order to be competitive as possible. Rolling out of bed and grabbing a doughnut before a big race, is not going to stand you in good stead! You can’t expect to move down the road unless you a well fed. 

 

So how do we feed off Christ? Well, read the Bible for a start! That’s God’s word. Read it carefully; pray beforehand that the Holy Spirit will open your understanding towards whatever it is you’re reading.

 

The Children of Israel had to collect manna everyday, if they kept any over night, it went all mouldy!

Its the same for us, we must read our Bible everyday, in order to get a fresh appreciation of Jesus. 

 

The Christian pathway can feel like a very long and winding one, it can feel like you are never getting anywhere, it can feel like you are completely lost. But, you have a guide. You have a great shepherd who is always there to help you find the path again and keep you on it. So, keep running, keep the faith and stay strong till the end. There is a great reward waiting for you!